Aoudad at Two Section, August 2009.

This is an Aoudad, or Barbary Sheep. 900 of these animals have been shot at Big Bend Park, from helicopters, by members of Texas Parks and Wildlife, some of whom are included in the ‘Contact’ tab.

This aerial gunning is accomplished using automatic weapons. Texas Bighorn Society pays for the program. Texas Bighorn Society Directors have authorized the Department to kill elk on these flights. The Department refuses to promise not to do this. TBS Directors are also listed under ‘Contact”.

What Makes a Sportsman?

Fair chase allows the hunter to pursue game, using hunting skills, knowledge of wildlife and outdoor savvy, without putting game at an unfair disadvantage. Following the rules of fair chase makes you more than a hunter, it makes you a “sportsman.”

“Fair chase balances the skills and equipment of the hunter with the abilities of the animal to escape.”

The Rules of Fair Chase

The term “Fair Chase” shall not include the taking of animals under the following conditions:

• Helpless in a trap, deep snow or water, or on ice.
• From any power vehicle or power boat.
• By “jacklighting” or shining at night.
• By the use of any tranquilizers or poisons.
• While inside escape-proof fenced enclosures.
• By the use of any power vehicle or power boats for herding or driving animals, including use of aircraft to land alongside or to communicate with or direct a hunter on the ground.
• By the use of electronic devices for attracting, locating or pursuing game or guiding the hunter to such game, or by the use of a bow or arrow to which any electronic device is attached. The fair chase concept extends beyond the hunt itself; it is an attitude and a way of life based in a deep-seated respect for wildlife, for the environment, and for other individuals who share the
bounty of this vast continent’s natural resources.

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Circle Ranch

Circle Ranch is a 32,000-acre high-desert mountain ranch located in the Sierra Diablo (Devil Mountains) of far-West Texas. The ranch rises 2,400 feet above the Chihuahuan Desert floor to reach a maximum elevation of 6,500 feet.
The ranch is owned by Chris and Laura Gill, and their four children. It is operated with a primary focus on game, wildlife and habitat.

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